as automation has increased the longshoreman's union demanded their job security be plea served. the shipping industry worked out a deal where longshoreman would be paid a fee based on the weight of every container this a ship carries. but the industry finds it prohibitive lee expensive. >> antiquated work rules we've seen in it automotive industry, in the steel industry where efficient will see and new productive machines can come into play and people get displaced by that. it's been a difficult thing but it's one of the things that in order to maintain the cost and competitiveness in a global marketplace we have to pay attention to. >> reporter: president obama is basically caught in a web of his own making. he wants to be competitive in the global marketplace buy also owes his victory in part to unions, and by extense to some of the antiquated work rules that they support. >> you only have to look to michigan where workers were instrumental in reviving the auto industry to see how unions have helped build not just a stronger middle class, but a strong america. [. [cheers and a